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The Supreme Court on Tuesday concluded hearing a disqualification case against Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan and secretary-general Jahangir Tareen but reserved its judgement on the matter.

A three-member bench of the apex court ─ headed by Chief Justice Saqib Nisar and comprising Justice Faisal Arab and Justice Umar Ata Bandial ─ has been hearing a petition filed by PML-N leader Hanif Abbasi, who seeks the disqualification of the PTI chief and Tareen.

During Tuesday's hearing, the counsel representing Khan told the court that the defence had submitted all documents they could obtain before the court.

Advocate Naeem Bokhari maintained that 100,000 pounds were available in the account of Niazi Services Limited (NSL) ─ an off-shore company owned by the PTI chairman. In July 2007, 20,000 pounds were transferred to Imran's personal account, he added. Bukhari said that in March 2008, another sum of 22,000 euros was transferred into the account and was cashed four years later in 2012.

During previous hearings of the case, the 100,000 pounds retained in the NSL account had come under question. The lawyer had told the court that the sum was retained to cover legal fees. However, later the defence had backtracked and claimed that the amount had only initially been retained but parts of it were later remitted to Khan by the company.

On Tuesday, the lawyer maintained the second position and recounted it before the court.

During the hearing, Justice Bandial said that Imran had not declared his euro account in his nomination papers and asked when the account had been opened and with what sum of money.

The lawyer told the court that the account had been opened while the court heard arguments pertaining to the PTI chief's London flat. He added that his client had subsequently brought the money from the euro account to Pakistan.

As Bukhari completed his arguments, Akram Sheikh, the lawyer representing Abbasi, said that while the defence had presented documents pertaining to Jemima Khan's Bani Gala property, documents regarding assets owned outside of Pakistan by the PTI chief's former wife had not been presented in court.

"Naeem Bokhari says that hiding assets can be a mistake," Sheikh said.

He claimed that during the hearing of the case, the PTI chief had changed his stance 18 times.

"The shifting of his position shows that he is not Sadiq and Ameen," the lawyer added.

The court reserved its verdict after the lawyers wrapped up their arguments.

Hyde house

After the court reserved its verdict in the case against Khan, the bench questioned the lawyer representing Tareen regarding the PTI leader's property in Britain.

Specifically, the bench inquired after Hyde House ─ a piece of property in London which covers 12 acres of land. During a previous hearing, Advocate Sikander Bashir had told the court that Tareen had bought the house for his children for 2.1 million pounds through a trust.

During Tuesday's hearing, the lawyer told the court that the property is owned by Shiny View Limited, an offshore company. The 12 acres of land, too, are registered under Shiny View Limited, he added.

The chief justice asked the lawyer where the money for the property had come for. "Did Tareen give the money to the trust for the property?"

The lawyer told the bench that his client had given the money to the trust. He said that Shiny View was established in 2017 and his client had sent money to the trust from his lawful income.

Advocate Bashir denied that Tareen is the beneficial owner of the off-shore company.

"Tareen has shown us the complete money trail," Justice Arab said. "He is a lifetime beneficiary of the trust."

The chief justice observed that the PTI leader had sent money directly to the off-shore company, not through the trust.

"The off-shore company is registered under the trust. The trust is a legal entity," the lawyer said.

The chief justice then observed that there are discrepancies between Tareen's responses to the court and a trust deed presented before the bench in previous hearings.

Justice Bandial told the lawyer that since Tareen is a beneficiary of the trust, he should have declared it in his nomination papers.

Advocate Azid Nafees, representing the petitioner, told the court that Tareen's children are not the beneficiaries of the trust yet.

"It appears to be true that the children are not the beneficiaries," the chief justice said.

The court reserved its verdict in the cases against Khan and Tareen after hearing the arguments presented by the lawyers.

On DawnNews

Comments (20) Closed

Syed ji

Nov 14, 2017 02:32pm

I.K the cleanest leader in pakistan.

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israr

Nov 14, 2017 04:17pm

This case is simpler than the one we saw in panama the case starts with bani gala house and now is talking about euro account for the year 2006 so simple, i think the judges have grilled both ik and jkt and this can be assumed that everyone is human and they have understood the reasons for the case to be filed is basically revenge and court does not decide cases on revenge, if this case ends up on disqualification of jkt or ik it would mean so many more cases in pipeline seeking judgement based on past transactions and has nothing to do with current nomination papers
as panama judges clearly stated in their judgement 2012-2013 financial year was crucial and in that year nawaz did not mention his aqama and earlings, i am interested to hear the decision but also interested in detail decision to see how they came to this decision.. for me ik and jkt has not done enough wrong to be declared disqualified mnas and for me this case should be ruled in their favour but lets see

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Iqbal Hadi Zaidi

Nov 14, 2017 04:28pm

Imran is not honest but dead honest to be truly honest and had he been plundering money then I doubt he could start just one hospital what to talk to 3 hospitals. I had been very much instrumental in collecting money for him when he came to Kuwait in 1992 and 1993 and returned with quite hefty money raised in just 2 days. Long live Imran you have already served humanity which not many can boast alike I bet on my life. Iqbal Hadi Zaidi / Kuwait / zaidi.formerdiplomat@hotmail.com

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Z

Nov 14, 2017 04:54pm

Don't worry people, nothing will happen! IK and his cronies are above all rules of law.

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RaGa

Nov 14, 2017 07:14pm

It is time now to be liberal.

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Faraz

Nov 14, 2017 08:03pm

Good PTI ....keep it up....

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Anees A.

Nov 14, 2017 08:03pm

Not guilty!

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M.Saeed

Nov 14, 2017 08:35pm

Imran clearly is a favored outlaw.

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Musa

Nov 14, 2017 09:26pm

@Faraz So basically what's good Faraz Bhai? Is it good that IK has changed story so many times? Is it good he didn't declare assets on his papers? Its it good he is supposed to be clean and honest setting an example? It is good that he can defame others with no consequences and no judge will ever send police to force him to attend court? So effectively IK is above the law, is that democracy? Is that justice? Sounds to me like IK is above the law and everyone else has to follow the rule or law?

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moejazze

Nov 14, 2017 10:10pm

Let the SC decide. We trust SC.

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Khaja

Nov 14, 2017 10:11pm

I am 100% certain that the Court will find them clean although they submitted forged docs and gave false statements.

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Pathanoo

Nov 14, 2017 10:15pm

If Imran Khan and Jehangir tareen are NOT Disqualified then how can you Disqualify Nawaz Sharif? They have all committed the same crime under the law.

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pervaiz

Nov 14, 2017 10:49pm

dont worry nothing will happen as he has NA MALOOM suport

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Jahangir

Nov 14, 2017 11:06pm

For same cases IK and JKT look above the law or being made above the law through establishment. But this kind of enjoyment/privilege ends fast when they have no more interest or see you become democratically stronger. Perform nothing and stay apple of an eye. Perform, come near to people than bear the wrath of men. Unfortunate but our history is filled with it !

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junaid

Nov 14, 2017 11:59pm

nothing gonna happen .they both get a clean chit from the court .the tone of the jurists, in this case, nd NS case is totally different.it seems like establishment just wanted to have NS disqualified by the judiciary.

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Nazir

Nov 15, 2017 02:21am

Naya Pakistan will be abundant in truth
18 types of truth

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Adi

Nov 15, 2017 02:46am

This time establishment wants pti and not iji

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Khaleesi

Nov 15, 2017 04:07am

Since Tareen and IK have failed to authenticate their source of income, Nawaz Sharif will be disqualified from ever appearing in public again.